


In Good Company

by Lucky107



Series: A Red, Red Rose [4]
Category: Hell on Wheels (TV)
Genre: 19th Century, Character Death, F/M, Flashbacks, Gen, Graphic Description, Manipulative Relationship, Minor Spoilers, domestic setting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-10
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-09-07 17:57:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8810506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucky107/pseuds/Lucky107
Summary: Durant is nothing more than matchstick houses set in a quaint Nebraska valley.[Season 2]





	

**Author's Note:**

> The Parting Glass - Mark Waters - 2015

Durant is nothing more than matchstick houses set in a quaint Nebraska valley.

It’s not the life Bonnie Mae MacLeod envisioned for herself when she first took up work on the Union Pacific Railroad, oft slow and spent tending to chickens rather than to people. Just as she wipes her hands on her once-white apron, the door opens loudly at her back.

“Mornin’,” Frederik van der Meulen says, monotonous and half-asleep. He stretches his arms up and yawns big. “You sure get to it early, darlin’.”

At her side, a decorated wicker basket holds half a dozen eggs carefully laid in straw.

“Hens don’t like bein’ kept waitin’, sir,” Bonnie Mae reasons. Frederik smiles. “An’ neither do I. Breakfast’ll be along shortly, so hurry up to Samuel an’ see if we got any news in today.”

“I—”

It’s been almost four months since word last came from Bonnie Mae’s family out west, but she won’t hear another word about it. She pushes the wicker basket into the doctor’s hands with haste and says, “You best take these to that lonely fella, Mr. Baker, if you’re wantin’ any milk today.”

\- - -

Bonnie Mae can feel the strain in her shoulders as she hauls two buckets full of water back to the infirmary, but she knows the drill by now: if she doesn’t change the water, Doctor Van der Meulen won’t. She can’t bear the thought of reusing the same pail for more than a day.

Just as she lets herself into the clinic—a building proper now, not just a tent—the doctor turns from his seat at the small study and removes his rarely-worn spectacles. “I was just about to send for you, darlin’. You have impeccable timing.”

Relieving herself of the weight at the foot of the unoccupied feather bed, Bonnie Mae inquires, “Sir?”

“I’ve no doubt you’ve heard folks talk of this town moving westward with the railroad,” the doctor explains. “But you and me, we’ve done real good for ourselves here. I was thinkin’ we might make it a more permanent operation, this new clinic. Stick ‘round a while, see what this town’s worth.”

Bonnie Mae’s rejection is written all over her contemplative face, but the clinic door opens before she has a chance to give the 'no’ that dances on her lips a voice.

“Miss Bonnie Mae? If you’ve a minute, I—” Sean McGinnes begins, but the tension hits him like a wall. “—I’ll come back.”

“Nonsense,” she says, dismissing the notion with a nonchalant wave of her hand. For the first time since she came into his employ, Frederik sees a look of defiance in her oft meek eyes. “I’ll be right along, Sean.”

And, just like the rolling stone she once claimed to be, Bonnie Mae leaves the doctor all alone in his brand new clinic.

 

Frederik van der Meulen hasn’t the faintest idea where his young assistant has run off to this time, but he his hunch is that wherever she is, she’s likely in the company of some Irishman—the same Irishman whom _he_ had mistakenly set her up with, if he recalls correctly.

That fool, Sean McGinnes, has proved himself nothing more than a nuisance ever since the night of the dance.

Bonnie Mae has a good head on her shoulders and Frederik knows it in his gut that she belongs at that clinic, working by his side, not in the arms of some _juvenile_.

The doctor is certain that when he left the clinic, he left in search of Bonnie Mae. What he happens upon in her stead, however, complicates matters considerably. Sean and his dim-witted brother are in the process of dismantling their magic lantern show for the road—and there’s no trace of his assistant.

“Excuse me,” Frederik interrupts their idle banter coyly. “You wouldn’t happen to know the whereabouts of Miss Bonnie Mae, would you, son?”

The question embarrasses Sean in front of his brother, but he shakes his head all the same. “No, sir. Is it important?”

“Not particularly,” the doctor admits. _Not anymore._ It turns out he was never looking for Bonnie Mae at all. “Say, can I borrow a minute of your time? I’d hate to keep you from it here as you boys look quite busy, but you might just be able to help me out after all.”

So, together they walk through the beginnings of Durant.

Sean’s discomfort is obvious; he’s so tense in Frederik’s shadow that the doctor fears he might just implode. “Ease up, son,” he offers, slapping a hand down on Sean’s shoulder. “I don’t mean nothin’ by my askin’, understand, but I’m awful curious 'bout how close you’s with Miss Bonnie Mae these days.”

“S-she’s a fine girl, sir,” Sean offers with a nervous stutter.

“Indeed,” Doctor Van der Meulen agrees. “I don’t know if she’s told you, but she and I’re thinkin’ 'bout settin’ up at the clinic here in Durant when the railroad moves west. You can see how I’d be worried for her personal affairs.”

“Of course, sir.”

“'Doc’,” he corrects. “People 'round here just call me 'Doc’, son, but I’m glad to hear we’re on the same page concernin’ Miss Bonnie Mae. The way I understand it, your business is dependent on this rail and its men. Now, I know you’re sincere 'bout doin’ well by her—”

“I am, Doc.”

“Well, if you want to do well by Miss Bonnie Mae, you might think 'bout puttin’ some distance between you’s so she ain’t so hurt when the time comes for you and your brother to move along,” Doctor Van der Meulen concludes. “Oh, and I’ve got good reason to believe that pretty little thing goin’ your way with the church has been just lookin’ for an excuse to talk to you.”

\- - -

Bonnie Mae gazes out the window into town as the eggs, well-done and just awaiting the doctor’s return before being plated, sizzle loudly on the tiny closed range.

Frederik should have been back by now.

The thought of him shooting the breeze with Mr. Baker while she’s left waiting spurs her out to find him, leaving the eggs to cook themselves black. She’s part-way across town when she first realises how quiet the morning is, even for Durant.

“Doctor Van der Meulen?” Bonnie Mae calls out as she rounds the corner of Mr. Baker’s humble abode.

The sight that greets her stops her cold.

Mr. Baker’s lying on the lawn and his face has been split with a crude hatchet, the blade stuck in his fractured forehead. She wants to scream, but, try as she might, she makes not a peep. She staggers backwards in haste, almost tripping over the ankle-high border fence, and then she’s running in a blind search for help.

There’s not a soul in sight as she makes her way back toward the clinic to fetch Doctor Van der Meulen’s shotgun. She hasn’t the darnedest idea how to use the thing, but it’s better than nothing when—

“Bonnie Mae!”

Doctor Van der Meulen catches a glimpse of her auburn hair between the linens and he calls out in vain. She appears not to hear him past the ringing in her ears, but it doesn’t take him more than a couple bounding strides to catch her. He takes her by the arm and she turns on him swinging.

“Easy there!” He offers, catching each small fists in his far larger hands. Her eyes are wide, but unseeing when she stares up at him and he knows she knows. He envelopes her trembling form in his strong arms. “I’ve gotcha now.”

“I-I didn’t know—” Bonnie Mae whispers into his shoulder. “Mr. Baker, h-he—”

“I know, darlin’, I know. Durant’s in trouble,” he explains in haste. He releases Bonnie Mae, but his hands remain firm on her shoulders in an effort to steady her nerves. “Some sorta Indian band’s made their way into town. Have no doubt: the bloodshed ain’t over. You find Mr. Baker’s barn and you—”

An arrow pierces Doctor Van der Meulen’s middle, stopped only by his mass from passing through Bonnie Mae, as well.

Stray flecks of blood colour her once-white apron and she screams. The doctor tentatively feels the wound with slow, careful fingers - the tip of the arrow’s torn right through the cotton of his shirt - but otherwise offers very little indication that he’s been struck.

“ _Go_ ,” he hisses. “Run straight, straight to the barn, and don’t you stop—”

A second arrow, this time in the chest and far closer to the heart, robs him of ability to speak.

Tears sting Bonnie Mae’s eyes for she knows he hasn’t the strength to come with her. _He’s going to die_. Of the many gifts he’s imparted upon her since she came into him employ, her life is among the most precious.

With what little strength remains, Frederik stands as a shield between Bonnie Mae and their attackers.

She won’t make it to Mr. Baker’s barn without him.

So Bonnie Mae runs.


End file.
